The invention generally relates to computer graphics devices and, more particularly, the to invention relates to computer based graphical design devices.
Physical models of a large scale construction project such as, for example, a proposed power plant, commonly are built prior to the beginning of the actual construction. Among other uses, models enable designers to visually analyze the project design for potential improvements and/or flaws. Moreover, models present a physical view of the construction project to interested parties, such as investors, government land zoning boards, and project insurers.
Although useful, physical models often are bulky, expensive to produce, and are not readily changeable. Both minor and major changes to a physical model can be quite time consuming, thus delaying construction. The art has responded to some of these problems by developing computer graphical software packages that graphically display construction projects on a computer display device. A construction project thus can be displayed as a single frame, or as a predefined animation sequence of the construction process. One such package, for example, is the well known DESIGNREVIEW(trademark) design program, available from Intergraph Corporation to Huntsville, Ala. Such packages commonly enable a designer to create a three-dimensional display of the construction project via known graphics application programming interfaces (xe2x80x9cAPIsxe2x80x9d). One such API is the OPENGL(trademark) API, available from Silicon Graphics, Inc. of Mountain View, Calif.
In a manner similar to physical models, conventional three dimensional graphical displays of a construction project (i.e., from single frame displays to multiple frame animation sequences) must be manually redrawn if a change is made to the design of the construction project. Like changes made to physical models, this too can be quite time consuming and consequently, delay the completion of the construction project.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a system for graphically displaying an item (having a plurality of elements) on a display device as the item appears at a preselected time in a timeline first determines which of the plurality of elements are later in the timeline than the preselected time. Once this is determined, first and second sets of elements are defined, in which the elements in the first set each have a respective associated time that is no later than the preselected time. The second set of elements, however, includes each of the elements not in the first set of elements. The number of elements in each of the first set and the second set can range from no elements to many elements. The elements in the first set are drawn on the display device in a first format, and the elements in the second set are drawn on the display device in a second format. The second format, however, graphically indicates that the elements in the second set have respective times that each are later than the preselected time. As such, the first format and second format preferably are different.
In other aspects of the invention, the elements in the second set are transparent or in wire frame. In a similar manner, the elements in the first set may be displayed in a first color while the elements in the second set may be displayed in a second, different color. The preselected time may be selected based upon input from a displayed user input message requesting the preselected time. In addition, the timeline may be stored in a data storage medium that is accessed to retrieve the times associated with each element.
In yet other aspects of the invention, a user viewpoint may be displayed on the display device to show the orientation of the graphical display of the item. The display may include a first window showing a first view of the item, a second window showing a second view of the item, and a third window showing a third view of the item. The first view may be a plan view, the second view may be a perspective view, and the third view may be an elevational view. In some embodiments, a document is graphically associated with at least one of the elements of the item. The document may be displayed as an icon that is graphically connected to its associated element. Selection of the icon may cause an underlying application program to execute, thus providing access to such document.
In still other aspects of the invention, each of the elements in the item may have attributes. For example, certain items may be manufactured from a certain material, such as steel. An attribute may be selected to define a third set of elements that each have the selected attribute. Each of the elements in the third set may be displayed in a third format. The third format may be configured to display the elements in the third set in a preselected color.
In other aspects of the invention, a system for displaying an item as it appears at a preselected time may include a scheduler for managing the timeline that, as suggested above, has an associated time for each element. In particular, the associated time is the time in the timeline that each such element is to be added to the item. The system further includes a designer for drawing the item in a three-dimensional space on a display device. Among other functions, the designer preferably defines the spatial relationship of each of the elements of the item. The system also includes a linker that accesses the timeline and responsively controls the designer to draw each of the elements having an associated time that is no later than a preselected time. In other embodiments, the system further includes an animator for accessing the timeline and responsively controlling the designer to draw a motion picture of the item between first and second selected times. In some embodiments, the first time is earlier than the second time. In other embodiments, the first time is later than the second time.
In some aspects of the invention, the above noted system for displaying an item utilizes the linker for controlling the displayer to draw each element having a start time that is no later than the preselected time. The start time may be the time that construction is set to being for an element. Each such element may he considered to be in a first set. The linker also may include a mechanism for adding to a second set each element in the first set having an end time that is later than the preselected time. The linker then may control the displayer to draw, in a first format, each element in the first set that is not in the second set. The displayer then may be controlled to draw each element in the second set in a second format that is different than the first format.